May 22- Rodin Musee & Metro Shakedown

We used our metro cards to go to the Rodin museum this morning. After making our transfer and riding toward our last stop, a Metro Cop got on the train and asked to see everyone's tickets. Being naive, we handed ours over even feeling a little smug that we were all above board. The cop pulls us off the train (fortunately at our stop) and explains that the card which actually has the money and RIF tag is not valid without the accompanying piece of paper that you write your name on and tape a photo to the back. Paolo tells them that the nice man at the car rental place told him we didn't need them and asks where we can get them. The cop brings over another cop who explains the whole thing in english and then tells us there is a 70euro fine per person per incident.  We both choke on our spit. He then "takes pity" on us and tells us he will site us for the lesser offense at 25euro per incident.  My argumentative and logical husband asks the obvious question, "why do you need to know who the card belongs to?" And they say, so that two different people can't use it in the same day. And i think to myself, very quietly, you charge for every time someone walks through the gate, why does it matter who has the pass in their hand? You make the same amount of money. The cop then tells us to tear off a piece of paper, write our names and paste a picture then put that within the pass jacket. And my logical husband asks, "what is to keep someone else from doing that with the same card?" and i tell him to let it go (5 times). The answer is of course, nothing. It's an illogical system and we aren't going to change it. It just doesn't make sense. I grabbed his arm, said a polite, "Merci" and dragged him out of the metro trying to avoid another fine for being a smart ass.